Good morning,
The shedding of blood has been essential to the atonement for man’s sin. The shedding of blood is directly tied to our salvation. Jesus shed His perfect, precious blood to pay our sin debt.
The Passover, instituted by God, is a picture of salvation for Israel. When they applied the blood, God passed over their house. Right after that they were freed from their Egyptian enslavement.
This week we look at the progressive mistreatment of the Hebrew slaves, preparation for deliverance of the Hebrew slaves, the Israelite’s delivered from Egyptian bondage, and Israel redeemed by the blood of the Lamb-Passover.
The Israelites delivered from Egyptian bondage (5:1-15:21)
1. Moses demands the release of the Israelites (5:1-4) (READ)
“And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.2 And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.3 And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days’ journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword. 4 And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.”
“Let my people go…” used 8 times
2. Pharaoh’s answer: Hebrews denied straw with which to make bricks (5:5-23)
3. Moses demand certified by miracle (5:23-7:12) (READ7:1-9)
“And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.6 And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they.7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.8 And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,9 When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.”
4. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (7:13-14)
5. First plague: Blood (7:14-25)
6. Second plague: Frogs (8:1-15)
7. Third plague: Lice (8:16-19)
8. Fourth plague: Flies (8:20-32)
9. Fifth plague: Disease on Livestock (9:1-7)
10. Sixth plague: Boils (9:8-12)
11. Seventh plague: Hail (9:13-35
12. Eighth plague: Locusts (10:1-20)
13. Ninth plague: Darkness (10:21-29)
14. Death announced (11:1-10) (READ)
“And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver and jewels of gold.3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.4 And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.”
Moses demands that Pharaoh let the children of Israel to go and worship. Pharaoh says no. He then requires the children of Israel to gather their own straw for the making of bricks.
Moses now proclaims ten plagues on the Egyptians. The last is the death of the first born of all the families of Egypt. Starting with Pharaoh’s son.
It is never wise to oppose God. Believers in Christ have the Holy Spirit of God residing in them. The Holy Spirit will convict believers of their opposition to God. When believers refuse to obey, God brings chastisement or judgment into their lives. Similar to what we see happening to Pharaoh and Egypt.
If believers go too far, God may take them home early. Similar to the death of the first born.
Pharaoh could have avoided this judgment by repenting and obeying God. He did not and he and the nation of Egypt suffered the consequences.
Jesus Christ paid the sin debt for all mankind. Those who have trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior, are to obey what God has given us in the Bible. When we fail to obey, we must repent of our sin, start obeying God’s word, and continue to serve our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.
Will we choose to be rebellious like Pharaoh or obedient like Moses?
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001
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